File life

[Molecule]

what do you do after the muriatic acid ? a prior post suggested the files will begin to rust ...

 

[woodshop]

what do you do after the muriatic acid ? a prior post suggested the files will begin to rust ...

I figure rinse under water faucet to get the acid off, then just dry with a paper towel and good to go again. Guess I could run them under the air nozzle to blow out any water or acid left in the nooks and crannies.
Dave

 

[Blowdown1]

Woodshop, that is more like it. I don't feel so self-concious now since your RA saw looks like my brand new table saw (already). Maybe working on getting my 3-yr old to put away her toys will rub off on me and result in a clean workshop. I actually started cleaning up last night. Now if I can keep the momentum.

 

[scottr]

Rust

Molecule , four drops of 3 in 1 oil has worked for two months . Scott

 

[Mange]

Since this thread started I have filed 18 chains, 6 15" 64DL and 12 13" 56 DL. All .325
Started with a new Pferd file 4,8. I can not say it is bad yet, but lost a tiny bit of bite, not much but still noticeable. Will do some more this evening.

All chains have been washed in diesel, a bit warmer than room temp and dried with compressed air. The file is dried of on a piece of clothing between each tooth. No stroke is returned with file in contact with tooth. I have a cut of bar in a wise.

 

[Locoweed]

Seems like a lot of trouble to extend the life of a relatively inexpensive file.

 

[chainsawworld]

i have tested a few differant files to include those named stihl, husky,premium,total,laser,prferd,agway, and more. so far i like the laser best. today i was discussing this subject with another arborist and he handed me a "cromecut" file. it was a wreck when i got it(lack of care) but. it seemed like it may be okay. only time and use will tell. marty

 

[woodshop]

Seems like a lot of trouble to extend the life of a relatively inexpensive file.

loco I was thinking along similar lines, but then for me, it's the principle of the thing. A buck is a buck. I truly believe if you watch the pennies the dollars will grow (within reason). It's a mindset. Took the wife out to dinner last night (we eat out MAYBE 4 times a year) and I calculate the money I spent at that Irish restaurant for that one meal would keep me in files for a good 4 years at my rate of use. But thats not the point. Point is I LIKE being able to drop some files in a jug of Muriatic acid and renew them, even if I'm only saving a few bucks. Its part principle, part mindset. If I didn't enjoy renewing the file, I probably wouldn't, telling myself my time is more important than a dollar file. So I guess I'm guilty of picking and choosing my principles.
Dave

 

[redprospector]

Mix some baking soda in water to rinse your files in. It will neutralize the acid, won't rust as bad.

I guess this thread does show how tight we are, but what the heck. I'm the kind of guy who rivets two lids togeather from my bar oil jugs, drills a hole in them and saves that little bit of oil in the bottom of the jug. It adds up quick, and cost virtualy no time other than fixing the lids.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Great idea, Red!

It DOES add up!

 

[redprospector]

Damit, there goes another pattent idea.
Me and my big mouth!

 

[woodshop]

red that reminds me of something I used to see in gas stations back when oil came in round steel cans and you had to open them with a combination can opener spout. There was a contraption that you set the used oil cans on upside down with can opener hole down, and the oil that dripped out over time would collect down a tube into another can. These things usually held say 15 cans at a time in several rows. So the gas station would do an oil change, set the used cans on this thing and let them drip completely empty, salvaging that "free" oil. I suppose you could do the same today with modern flat plastic quart containers, but have not seen such an animal.
dave

 

[redprospector]

Yep, I remember those old oil collecting contraptions when I was a kid working at the local "service" station. A lot of Cook's Rerefined oil went in with the Havoline, Penzoil, and what have you. The poor sucker that didn't specify what oil he wanted got a coctail.
I don't know if my collector will work on quart bottles, lids probably too small to rivet, & drill a hole too. Might work to epoxy them togeather. Works good on the gallon jugs though.

 

[Tree Machine]

Hey Redprospector, I like you

I'm the kind of guy who rivets two lids togeather from my bar oil jugs, drills a hole in them and saves that little bit of oil in the bottom of the jug.

True you guys, on the 'state of mind'. Principle. A buck IS a buck and waste not, want not. Reuse, recycle.

Big Round of applause for you 's types a guys !!!

 

[redprospector]

We call it "Po'boy logging"!

 

[woodshop]

Again... its a mindset... problem is instilling that in the rest of the family. Wife is pretty good, sometimes better than I... but 3 daughters, 2 still at home... all would rather buy a new one than fix up the old.

 

[Grateful11]

No stroke is returned with file in contact with tooth. I have a cut of bar in a wise.

Absolutely correct! You never want to drag a file backwards while filing. Always lift it on the back stroke. I believe that's the first time I've heard it mentioned here and you'd be surprised how many people I see running a file back and forth while it's in contact where I work.
Grateful11

 

[Mange]

Since this thread started I have filed 18 chains, 6 15" 64DL and 12 13" 56DL. All .325
Started with a new Pferd file 4,8. I can not say it is bad yet, but lost a tiny bit of bite, not much but still noticeable. Will do some more this evening.

All chains have been washed in diesel, a bit warmer than room temp and dried with compressed air. The file is dried of on a piece of clothing between each tooth. No stroke is returned with file in contact with tooth. I have a cut of bar in a wise.

I have filed 4 more 13" and 2 more 15". Now i consider it finished.
Last chain was a bit harder than the others, it was machine filed and there were a blue streak on many cutters. This busted up the file a lot.

Is there anyone else than me that has noticed there is always one or two cutters that is harder on most chains, even new?

 

[woodshop]

Is there anyone else than me that has noticed there is always one or two cutters that is harder on most chains, even new?

Yes I have run into that where I get to a tooth that the file has no bite because it has a hard "spot"? I chalk it up to in consistent metal mix when they manufacture the chain, but maybe I'm barking up the wrong tree... no pun intended

 

[Mange]

This is my thoughts as well, I find it hard to believe they are all identical.